--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some adults would rather pretend that bad…" description: "\"Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't exist than to talk about them.\" — Laurie Halse Anderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png" --- # Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't… ![“Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't exist than to talk about them.” quote by Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png) > “Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't exist than to talk about them.” [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adults often avoid confronting harsh realities, preferring denial over dialogue. **In simple terms:** Denial replaces discussion. Key Takeaway Encourage open conversation about difficult topics. Themes denial dialogue reality Mood concerned hopeful Type advice personal When to use this quote - family meetings - educational workshops - counseling sessions Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What topics are you avoiding? - How can you create a safe space for tough talks? A Different Perspective Avoiding topics can perpetuate harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adult/) [Adults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults/) [Adults Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adults-pretend-3268262/) [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bad thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-thing/) [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) [Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend/) [Pretend Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend-bad-279080/) [Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rather/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [Some adults would rather pretend that bad things dont exist than to talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-bad-things-dont-exist-than-to/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [“Like Santa Claus. You adults pretend he doesn't exist, but we know that he really does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/like-santa-claus-you-adults-pretend-he-doesn-t-exist-but-we-know-that/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We never really are the adults we pretend to be. We wear the mask and perhaps the clothes and posture of grown-ups, but inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-never-really-are-the-adults-we-pretend-to-be-we-wear-the-mask-and/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [“But even though she's started the game in the first place, she no longer wanted to play. Somewhere along the way, her heart had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/but-even-though-she-s-started-the-game-in-the-first-place-she-no/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [If you pretend to be good, the world takes you very seriously. If you pretend to be bad, it doesn't. Such is the astounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-you-pretend-to-be-good-the-world-takes-you-very-seriously-if-you/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Close your eyes and pretend it's all a bad dream. That's how I get by. -Jack Sparrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirates-of-the-caribbean/close-your-eyes-and-pretend-it-s-all-a-bad-dream-that-s-how-i-get-by/) [Pirates Of The Caribbean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirates-of-the-caribbean/) > [“...you can pretend that bad things will never happen. But life's a lot easier if you realize and admit that sometimes they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/you-can-pretend-that-bad-things-will-never-happen-but-life-s-a-lot/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [I loved 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.' I read it later as an adult, but I loved 'We Have Always Lived in a Castle.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-loved-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-i-read-it-later-as-an-adult-but-i/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [We're good at taking care of little kids, and spend a lot of energy teaching them things like how to read. But when kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-re-good-at-taking-care-of-little-kids-and-spend-a-lot-of-energy/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [We've fallen down on our responsibility to our children by somehow creating this world where they're surrounded by images of sexuality; and yet, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/we-ve-fallen-down-on-our-responsibility-to-our-children-by-somehow/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“Never trust someone that claims they care nothing of what society thinks of them. Instead of conquering obstacles, they simply pretend they don't exist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-madison/never-trust-someone-that-claims-they-care-nothing-of-what-society/) [Tiffany Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-madison/) > [I don't hate anyone. I just see the evil some pretend doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-lahren/i-don-t-hate-anyone-i-just-see-the-evil-some-pretend-doesn-t-exist/) [Tomi Lahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-lahren/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) ## More by Laurie Halse Anderson > [“The word ghost sounds like memory. The word therapy means exorcism”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/the-word-ghost-sounds-like-memory-the-word-therapy-means-exorcism/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/censorship-is-the-child-of-fear-and-the-father-of-ignorance/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“I have this halfway place, a rest stop on the road to sleep, where I can stay for hours. I don't even need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-have-this-halfway-place-a-rest-stop-on-the-road-to-sleep-where-i/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I can see us, living in the woods, her wearing that A, me with a S maybe, S for silent, S for stupid, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-can-see-us-living-in-the-woods-her-wearing-that-a-me-with-a-s-maybe/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Eating plain toast will detonate her. "I'll have some honey." When the bread is done I scrape on a microscopic layer of it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/eating-plain-toast-will-detonate-her-i-ll-have-some-honey-when-the/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [Cutting pain was a different flavor of hurt. It made it easier not to think about having my body and my family and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/cutting-pain-was-a-different-flavor-of-hurt-it-made-it-easier-not-to/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am learning how to be angry and sad and lonely and joyful and excited and afraid and happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-learning-how-to-be-angry-and-sad-and-lonely-and-joyful-and/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“Leaning against my father, the sadness finally broke open inside me, hollowing out my heart and leaving me bleeding. My feet felt rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/leaning-against-my-father-the-sadness-finally-broke-open-inside-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I like cheeseburgers too much to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-like-cheeseburgers-too-much-to-be-a-model/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I am getting better at smiling when people expect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-am-getting-better-at-smiling-when-people-expect-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. Nobody really wants to hear what you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/all-that-crap-you-hear-on-tv-about-communication-and-expressing/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I doubt trees are ever told to 'be the screwed-up ninth-grader.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-doubt-trees-are-ever-told-to-be-the-screwed-up-ninth-grader/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“It was the most eloquent silence I ever heard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/it-was-the-most-eloquent-silence-i-ever-heard/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [I've dealt with depression my entire life, on and off, which makes me the perfect author for teenage readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/i-ve-dealt-with-depression-my-entire-life-on-and-off-which-makes-me/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“What did it feel like to die? Was it a peaceful sleep? Some thought it was full of either trumpet-blowing angels or angry devils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-did-it-feel-like-to-die-was-it-a-peaceful-sleep-some-thought-it/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) [Explore all 437 Laurie Halse Anderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't exist than to talk about them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-exist-than-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-exist-than-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/laurie-halse-anderson-623_about_some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-ba_1536098.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Some adults would rather pretend that bad things don't exist than to talk about them.” — Laurie Halse Anderson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Laurie Halse Anderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Some adults would rather pretend that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-exist-than-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/some-adults-would-rather-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-exist-than-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```